Powderfinger reunion raises nearly $500,000 for charity

Powderfinger might insist their reunion was one-off, but it was enough to raise nearly half a million for Beyond Blue and music industry relief charity Support Act.

The Brisbane band got back together on Saturday, May 25^th for a seven song performance streamed live on YouTube. The band’s five members were all in separate locations, but the Finger sounded tight as ever as they ran through hits like ‘My Happiness’ and ‘Already Gone’. One Night Lonely was put together in coordination with Secret Sounds, Universal Music Australia and YouTube, while credit goes to filmmakers Marty Moynihan and Jeremy Hancock for its seamless presentation.

The timing of One Night Lonely was no mere coincidence. It’s ten years since the band announced its dissolution, and just shy of 20 since their adored fourth LP, Odyssey Number Five, came out. It also occurred at a time in which Australia’s music industry is facing unforeseen devastation. The band’s awareness of this fact was reflected in their two chosen charities.

Bernard Fanning and co. invited fans to donate to Support Act – a non-profit organisation offering crisis relief services to artists, crew and music workers – and Beyond Blue, whose work covers depression, suicide, anxiety and other related mental disorders. Powderfinger nominated the not unambitious fundraising goal of $500,000 and have raised 92% of that goal at the time of writing. The funds will be split evenly between the two charities.

One Night Lonely has been streamed more than 500,000 times on YouTube and the concert audio is now available on Spotify. The band are adamant it was a one-off event, but seven-songs seems cruelly brief. Many have speculated about the possibility of an in-the-flesh reunion at the all-Aussie Falls Festival this NYE.